Title (en)

Title (de)

Title (fr)

Publication

Application

Priority

US 9706495 W 19970416

US 63465396 A 19960418

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO9738930A1] A machine and method for handling a plurality of articles (8), and a feed apparatus for transporting the article (8) between a first station (14) and a second station (16). The machine generally includes a conveyor (18) which supplies a stream of articles (8) to an infeed station (14) and a feed apparatus (12) for indexing the articles (8). The feed apparatus (12) includes at least one pocket (39) shaped to at least partially receive one of the articles (8) for transporting the article (8) from the first station (14) to the second station (16) and a guide section (40) configured to separate the first one of the articles (8a) from the second one of the articles (8b) for movement of the first one of the articles into the pocket (39), to control movement of the second one of the articles (8b) during separation of the first one of the articles (8a) from the second one of the articles (8b), and to move the second one of the articles (8b) into the pocket (39) upon further rotation of the feed apparatus (12). The method includes the steps of moving a plurality of articles (8) to the first station (14) in a substantially continuous stream and rotating the feed wheel (12) to separate adjacent articles (8) and individually move the articles (8) from the infeed station (14) to the exit station (16).